Posted By On July 27, 2007 @ 12:14 PM In System Tune-Up Help | No Comments

The PC Decrapifier

I know that name sounds a little funny, but make sure you keep reading, because I think you’re really going to like this one. Trust me!

Why, oh why do computer manufactures load their new machines with so much garbage?

You know what I mean. Thirty day trials of this, cut down versions of that, advertisements to buy other programs, a whole host of utilities, nameless toolbars and who knows what else. And that’s even before you’ve started putting what you want on it!

Even more, the real problem is that unless we are computer experts, we are terrified of removing any of that junk ourselves, just in case it’s a vital component of the system that we don’t know about. Or, who knows, we could invalidate a guarantee or something just as horrible.

Well, thankfully, someone has recognized the problem and has given us a (free for private use) simple solution!

It is ever so elegantly called the Decrapifier.

Now, just two words of warning before we begin this journey. First, this only works on Windows XP and Vista systems and secondly, it is specially designed for new computers and is not made to deal with the uninstallation process. (If you need to do that, Windows has its own Add/Remove Programs utility under the Control Panel).

Alright, allow me to give you all a brief overview of the program and show you how to install and use it.

To begin, go to this Web site[1] and find the download page. It will look like this:

Click on the link shown below:

Save it to wherever you want it to be on your computer and then hit Run to start the download.

Note: A warning message may come up, like the one shown below, but this is nothing to be worried about. Just continue on with the process.

That will then be followed by this message:

Now, I’m not sure why you would have gone to the trouble of downloading and installing the program if you didn’t want to run it, but choose either Yes or No for this part!

If all is well, you will be greeted by this welcome screen:

Then you will see this screen:

Please note the warning message, that of which I have highlighted in red.

Sometimes you will get free limited trial versions of standard programs (like the Microsoft Office Suite, for example). On the other hand, you might have either paid for or installed a full version. Either way, the Decrapifier program cannot distinguish between the two, so be very careful, in this case, not to delete a full version of a highlighted program.

Now, before we get into running the program, Decrapifier gives you the option of setting a Windows restore point. I suggest you do it if you value your sanity. You know, just in case!

Hitting Next will finally get you into running the program. It will come up with a screen like, but probably not identical to, this one:

This is a list of the programs that Decrapifier thinks might be what is called “bloatware.” You know, unnecessary and probably, unused programs.

Go carefully through this list (remembering my earlier warnings) and checkmark what you want to remove.

Once you’ve done that, it’s just a case of clicking the Next button and you’ll then see this final screen:

Note the suggestion that you should reboot your computer. It’s recommend that you do this so that any files that might be locked can be removed as well.

So, there you have it. A new “lean and mean” machine ready to jump into action, without all the unnecessary clutter that would normally slow it down. And we owe it all to Decrapifier!